Seattle Blowup Unlikely To Lead To Change At The Top

The dustup over Seattle Symphony music director Gerard Schwarz has escalated into a full-scale brawl over the last few weeks, with some musicians loyal to Schwarz claiming harassment, and others in the orchestra insisting that the allegations are merely a reaction to a small, bullying cabal which is losing its grip on power at the SSO. But the bottom line hasn’t changed: “Schwarz has lost some of the orchestra (just how large the disgruntled contingent is remains in dispute), but not all of it, and he appears to have the backing of the symphony’s board. It may be uncomfortable for all involved, but as long as concertgoers like what they hear from the stage, internal unhappiness won’t be an issue.”